Red Sox don't retain first base coach Beyeler

Share

CLEVELAND -- As part of the announcement that John Farrell would return as manager with Torey Lovullo as his bench coach, the Red Sox said the majority of the 2015 coaching staff will return intact, too.

Hitting coach Chili David, assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, pitching coach Carl Willis, bullpen coach Dana Levangie and third base coach Brian Butterfield will all return.

First base coach Arnie Beyeler, however, will not return.

"We just really wanted to change a little bit of the mixture on (the staff), offered president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. "He took the news as well as you possibly can. He's a good person. He's worked hard. He's been a Red Sox person. We just wanted to make a change on the staff, on the direction, and that was the one we decided to go on.”

Beyeler was in his third year as first base coach and outfield instructor. Previously, he had spent six seasons managing in the Red Sox minor leagues.

He was told the news after Saturday's game.

"I was disappointed without a doubt,” said Beyeler. "That said, I've got nothing but good things to say about these guys - ownership and everybody over here. I've been here nine years and it's been a good ride. Lot of fun. Lot of good people over here. I thanked them for everything they've done. It was a great opportunity. It worked out great for me. To get a chance to be on the big league staff was a dream come true. I got a nice ride out of that.

"It was a lot of fun. I got to be around a lot of great guys and learn a lot. We had a great coaching staff. I have nothing but great things to say about these guys. They brought me over here. It's been a lot of fun.”

Beyeler said Dombroski told him "they just needed to make a change. They were going to make a change, I guess, and my spot was the one they decided to change. What am I going to say? That was it. It was pretty cut and dried.”

Beyeler has been with other organizations (San Diego, Texas and the Yankees) and knows these kind of moves are part of the business.

"I've been in these situations before and ended up over here because of it,” he said. "I'm a big believer that things happen for a reason.”

As outfield instructor, Beyeler had the task of getting Hanley Ramirez acclimated to the outfield and that project proved disastrous. Ramirez put the time in during spring training, but didn't have the same work ethic once the year got started.

Asked if the failed Ramirez experiment in the outfield was a reason behind Beyeler's dismissal, Dombrowski responded: "No.”

"I don't think so,” agreed Beyeler. "I would hope I would have been told that if that had been the case. I got the feeling they wanted to make a change. (Dombrowski) might want someone he's familiar with on this staff. I don't know. I feel like I can look in the mirror and say I did the best job I could. If they've got a better person to fill my spot, good luck to those guys.”

Contact Us